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Lewis Base Additives Improve the Zeolite Ferrierite-Catalyzed Synthesis of Isostearic Acids

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Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

Isostearic acids (IA) are highly utilized for industrial purposes especially in the area of biolubricants, such as cosmetics and slip additives for polyolefin and related copolymer films. This study was designed to develop a zeolitic catalysis process for efficient IA production through isomerization of fatty acids. The process utilized zeolite protonated Ferrierite with a small amount of base additive to neutralize (i.e., poison) the acidic sites on the external surfaces of the zeolite particles to prevent side reactions. Of the six base additives examined, the proton sponge combined with the zeolite protonated Ferrierite was found to be the most effective for this isomerization. With only 0.5 wt% proton sponge additive to 5.0 wt% Ferrierite, the dimers were successfully suppressed from 20.6 wt% yield to 2.42 wt% with an IA yield of 83.4 wt% and a 98 % conversion.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Mr. Bun Hong-Lai and Mrs. Renee Latona for experimental assistance, Dr. Michael Haas for his critical reading of the manuscript, and Mr. Zekai Lin from the University of Chicago for determining the dimensions of the base additives. Finally, I would like to thank NIFA-AFRI (Grant award # 2013-67021-21142) for providing partial funding support.

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Correspondence to Helen L. Ngo.

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Ngo, H.L. Lewis Base Additives Improve the Zeolite Ferrierite-Catalyzed Synthesis of Isostearic Acids. J Am Oil Chem Soc 92, 613–619 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-015-2608-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-015-2608-5

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